LeaderbookAI

What does it take to build a biotech company without burning billions—or losing your conviction?

Felicia Shakiba sits down with Dr. Shalabh Gupta, Founder & CEO of Unicycive Therapeutics, to unpack what real leadership discipline looks like in one of the most capital-intensive industries in the world. A physician turned Wall Street analyst, Dr. Gupta shares how he raised over $150M in public markets, took a biotech company public with a single employee, and scaled to FDA submission readiness with just 22 people—without relying on traditional Silicon Valley venture capital.

This episode explores how leadership clarity, rigorous decision making, and focused C-suite strategy drive value creation under extreme constraints. Dr. Gupta explains why great CEOs start with the problem—not the product—and how disciplined execution, process rigor, and business process automation enable scale without excess. Leaders across industries will gain executive insights into credibility, trust, and navigating digital transformation in highly regulated environments.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Unisysive Therapeutics

04:27 Innovative Approach to Biotech

07:55 Understanding the Biotech Landscape

10:39 Transition from Medicine to Wall Street

14:08 Lessons from Genentech

19:46 Building a Company Alone

22:47 The Importance of Networking

27:00 Engaging with the FDA

30:57 Raising Capital in Biotech

41:58 Navigating Investor Relationships

This episode is a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership, capital discipline, and building companies that last.

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Can financial education turn athletes into powerful investors?

Danny Cortenraede joins Felicia Shakiba to share how he’s helping athletes and early-stage founders build long-term wealth through financial education, mentorship, and hands-on investing. Drawing from his experience scaling multiple companies, Danny explains how athletes can move beyond endorsements and develop the leadership mindset required to make smarter investment decisions and shape their legacy off the field.

This episode explores how leadership development, disciplined decision making, and clear C-suite strategy translate into sustainable value creation. From transitioning into equity ownership to understanding capital strategy and ecosystem building, the conversation highlights how business process automation, enterprise technology, and modern digital transformation support scalable investing and founder success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Danny Cortenraede

01:16 Danny's Entrepreneurial Journey

04:28 Transitioning to Investment and Education

10:00 The Importance of Financial Literacy for Athletes

19:36 Building the Athlete Council and Educational Initiatives

26:51 Success Stories and Impact of Education

31:33 Changing Perspectives on Investment Among Athletes

34:14 Mindset for Lasting Legacy

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Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact

How do you take a healthcare innovation from lab to market—without losing your shot at impact?

Sasha Schrode, CEO of FEMSelect, joins Felicia Shakiba to share her founder journey—from licensing IP out of the University of Pennsylvania to raising venture capital, securing FDA approval, and successfully exiting her first healthcare company. Now leading FEMSelect, Sasha breaks down what it really takes to move innovation through regulation, reimbursement, and clinical validation without losing momentum—or purpose.

This episode explores how leadership discipline, investor-level decision making, and clear C-suite strategy drive value creation in one of the most complex industries. Sasha explains why great CEOs fall in love with the problem—not the solution—and how business process automation, enterprise technology, and digital transformation support scalable execution in healthcare. Her personal cancer diagnosis adds a powerful lens on resilience, learning, and purpose-driven leadership.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey from Diagnosis to Innovation

13:18 Understanding Market Viability and Clinical Need

22:43 The Iteration Process in Med Tech

24:20 Insights on Raising Capital and Exiting

27:24 Common Mistakes in Commercialization

32:00 First Steps for Aspiring Innovators

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Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact

What happens when you bet on people instead of acquisitions?

Pia Ostos, EVP and Chief Performance Officer at Inmar Intelligence, joins Felicia Shakiba to share how prioritizing leadership development—rather than acquisitions—became a powerful engine for growth. Pia explains how embedding clear leadership standards into performance reviews transformed leadership from a “soft” capability into a measurable driver of business outcomes.

This episode explores how leadership accountability, disciplined decision making, and intentional C-suite strategy unlock sustainable value creation. Pia breaks down how leadership investment reshapes culture from the top down, and how business process automation, enterprise technology, and digital transformation enable scalable performance systems. Leaders will walk away with executive insights on turning leadership, culture, and performance into a durable competitive advantage.

Chapters:

00:00 Transforming Leadership into a Growth Engine

06:31 Establishing Centers of Excellence

16:08 Innovating for Sustainable Growth

24:18 Building a Culture of Experimentation

26:02 Setting Core Leadership Standards

30:40 Measuring and Rewarding Leadership Behaviors

35:06 Leadership Development as a Growth Strategy

39:26 Advice for Building a High-Performing Culture

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Subscribe to the LeaderbookAI Podcast (formerly CPO PLAYBOOK): https://leaderbook.ai/podcast

Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact

How do you share equity to truly motivate employees—especially in private equity environments?

Adam Coffey, private equity CEO and seasoned operator, joins Felicia Shakiba to unpack how incentive equity—not just stock options or bonuses—can transform employees into real value creators. Drawing on decades of experience leading companies through acquisitions, integrations, and exits, Adam explains why equity alignment is one of the most powerful leadership tools in high-stakes environments.

This episode explores how leadership clarity, disciplined decision making, and intentional C-suite strategy drive value creation through ownership mindset. Adam breaks down how to design incentive equity plans that actually motivate, where leaders often get it wrong, and how culture, transparency, and communication remain critical—alongside scalable business process automation and enterprise technology—to sustain engagement during digital transformation and private equity change.

Chapters:

00:00 The Challenge of Alignment in Private Equity

11:24 Cultural Missteps and Leadership Alignment

18:52 Incentivizing Employees for Success

25:49 Navigating Challenges and Maintaining Alignment

31:28 The Role of Communication in Leadership

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Subscribe to the LeaderbookAI Podcast (formerly CPO PLAYBOOK): https://leaderbook.ai/podcast

Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact

Can culture survive when 10 companies collide under one roof—and what does leadership have to do with it?

Tim Ringel, CEO and founder of Meet the People, joins Felicia Shakiba to share how trust, creativity, and authentic leadership helped unite 10 companies into one cohesive organization. Drawing on real-world M&A experience, Tim explains why cultural integration—not financial modeling—is often the hardest and most decisive factor in post-merger success.

This episode explores how leadership behaviors, disciplined decision making, and clear C-suite strategy turn culture into a competitive advantage during mergers and acquisitions. Tim breaks down how creative freedom, diversity, and psychological safety fuel innovation—even amid economic pressure—and how leaders can sustain authenticity through uncertainty. The conversation highlights how intentional leadership systems, supported by business process automation and digital transformation, enable long-term value creation after the deal closes.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Cultural Clashes in Business

11:47 The Journey of Scaling Agencies

16:36 Merging Cultures vs. Numbers

24:25 Fostering Creativity in a Digital Age

36:19 The Importance of Authenticity and Trust

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Subscribe to the LeaderbookAI Podcast (formerly CPO PLAYBOOK): https://leaderbook.ai/podcast

Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact

How do you turn science fiction into science fact—and convince the world to fund it?

Roman Axelrod, founder and CEO of Xpanceo, joins Felicia Shakiba to share the bold vision behind raising nearly $300M to build smart contact lenses designed to expand human capability. Operating at the frontier of deep tech, Roman opens up about what it really takes to move breakthrough ideas from prototype to reality—and why leadership clarity becomes non-negotiable when the stakes are this high.

This episode explores how leadership conviction, disciplined decision making, and clear C-suite strategy drive value creation in frontier innovation. Roman explains why storytelling matters in raising capital for moonshot ideas, why prototypes outperform PowerPoints in deep tech, and how creativity and rigor must coexist. The conversation highlights how enterprise technology, digital transformation, and business process automation support scale—while trust, communication, and strong co-founder dynamics sustain momentum under pressure.

Chapters

00:00 The Vision Behind Expanio

10:16 Challenges and Reactions to the Idea

14:14 Building a Deep Tech Company

17:22 Motivating a High-Stakes Team

21:47 The Importance of Prototypes

23:58 Recruiting Top Talent in Deep Tech

27:35 The Co-Founder Dynamic

31:14 Communication and Leadership in High-Stakes Environments

34:42 Cultivating Creativity and Vision

39:49 Looking Ahead: The Future of Expanio

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Subscribe to the LeaderbookAI Podcast (formerly CPO PLAYBOOK): https://leaderbook.ai/podcast

Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact

Felicia Shakiba looks back at how far the podcast has come—and sets the stage for an even bolder season ahead. In this special episode, she teases the power-packed stories coming in Season 4, spotlights what leadership really means today, and unveils new tools designed to help leaders rise, adapt, and thrive.

What does it take to lead transformation when everything—including identity—must change?

Yaky Yanay, CEO of Pluri, joins Felicia Shakiba for a powerful Season 3 finale conversation on leading transformation through trust, transparency, and bold vision. Yaky shares how he redefined Pluri’s identity—from a traditional pharma company to a cell-based technology innovator—while building a culture that puts people, purpose, and innovation at the center of change.

This episode explores how leadership courage, disciplined decision making, and clear C-suite strategy enable successful transformation in high-stakes environments. Yaky explains why trust and transparency are not soft ideals but critical drivers of value creation—and how aligning culture, communication, and execution allows organizations to scale innovation. The conversation highlights how digital transformation, enterprise technology, and thoughtful business process automation support reinvention without losing the human core.

Chapters

00:00 The Importance of Culture in Leadership

12:11 Navigating Organizational Transformation

17:53 Overcoming Resistance to Change

26:47 Building Trust Through Transparency

31:05 Expanding Vision Without Losing Focus

36:45 Advice for Leaders in Times of Change

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Subscribe to the LeaderbookAI Podcast (formerly CPO PLAYBOOK): https://leaderbook.ai/podcast

Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact

What does real product leadership look like in the age of generative AI?

Felicia Shakiba is joined by Claurelle Rakipovic, Chief Product Officer at Pipe, to cut through the hype and unpack what effective product leadership actually requires as generative AI reshapes how products are built. From customer empathy to avoiding common AI missteps, Claurelle shares hard-earned lessons on designing products that deliver real value—not just novelty.

This episode explores how leadership judgment, disciplined decision making, and clear C-suite strategy guide successful product development amid rapid digital transformation. Claurelle explains why understanding customer pain remains essential, how AI automation and business process automation should support—not replace—product fundamentals, and what it takes to build technology that can truly hold its ground in competitive markets.

Chapters

00:00 Building Defensible Products in the Age of AI

01:50 Understanding Defensibility Beyond Automation

04:30 Learning from AI Missteps

09:26 Internal Testing and AI Adoption

14:39 New Competencies for Product Leaders

19:47 The Importance of Unique Data

23:49 Empathy in AI Product Development

27:39 Auditing AI for Value Delivery

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Subscribe to the LeaderbookAI Podcast (formerly CPO PLAYBOOK): https://leaderbook.ai/podcast

Want to create 10x the value of your business or investments? Let’s talk: https://leaderbook.ai/contact